Conventional vehicles having conventional internal combustion engines have been designed in the past with regard to aerodynamic principles. However, the front end of many conventional vehicles often are shaped in a square configuration which increases the air drag and lowers efficiency. Present day vehicles need to be aerodynamically designed so that vehicle air drag, and consequently, fuel consumption can be reduced. Unfortunately, little has been done to reconfigure the vehicle's engine in order to enhance the aerodynamic shape of the vehicle. One such design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,202 issued to Dean W. Hobbensiefken on Dec. 30, 1975 wherein an engine assembly is mounted between the front and rear axles of a motor vehicle to allow the design of a particular cab configuration for reducing drag. The engine radiators are provided extending laterally outwardly of the rear wall of the cab for reducing the entrance of air into the gap between the cab and a trailer on the vehicle. Although the engine assembly has been moved to a location which allows the cab to be aerodynamically designed, no substantial improvements have been made to reduce the spatial requirements for the engine. Furthermore, the new location of the engine may be inconvenient for effective serviceability.
The present invention discloses a modular cooling system for use with a dry sump lubricated engine which is designed to reduce the spatial requirements of the system. The reduced spatial requirements of the cooling system along with the lower profile achieved with the dry sump lubricated engine increases allows for improved vehicle aerodynamics.